Dal Recipes & Know Different Types Dal to Try

Rarely a week goes in Indian kitchens when a dal does not get prepared at least 2-3 times. There are some parts in India where a dal has to be made for dinner every day. And beginners also learn dal recipe often as their first recipe. Thankfully, it doesn't take much time for them to learn how to make dal.There are many healthy recipes for making any dal. Take one dal - masoor, chana, or any other - and you will find at least five, if not tens of ways to make it. Adding another point to your list of reasons to learn how to make dal is their nutrition. Ghar ki dal is a rich source of proteins for people who do not consume meat. In this article, you will learn how to make dal. There are 4 recipes and each dal recipe is explained step by step. However, before jumping straight to dal recipe, it is better to clear your basics first. Let's learn how many dals are out there for your consumption.

Types of Dal

When you will see a typical Indian kitchen, you will see that there is not one but many types of dal stored there. One type of it will look green, while the other will have a yellow color. Some seeds are round in shape while others are broken. To beginners, the only aspect about dal ingredients is to name different dals. Here are some types of dal:

1. Green Moong
2. Urad Dal
3. Masoor Dal
4. Toor/Arhar Dal
5. Lobia
6. Matar Dal
7. Chickpea
8. Horsegram

Almost every dal recipe uses one of these eight types of dal. If you can't differentiate one type of dal from another, try watching some dal recipe videos. Do not just focus on the quantity of dal recipe ingredients and how are they mixed, you should see the color and texture of every dal in daal video.

Popular Dal Recipes

Now comes the part where you are going to participate in the real game. Prepare common dal recipe ingredients like onion, tomato, spices, oil, ghee, etc. We have list 4 most popular recipes of dal. Once you learn these recipes, you will understand the basic concepts of cooking dal and it will become easier for you to try any new dal recipe. Here are your dal recipes:

Panchmel Dal: 

Also called the mix lentils stew, this one is a very popular Rajasthani cuisine. The aroma rising from panchmel dal can make people from other rooms sure that something special is being cooked in the kitchen. Not only is it packed with proteins and other nutrients, but it also has a very creamy texture that makes it one of the most popular dal out there. Here is your dal recipe:

1. Prepare the main dal recipe ingredients like toor dal, moong dal, urad dal, chana dal, masoor dal, onions, ghee, and spices.
2. Soak all the 5 dals in equal amounts for at least half of an hour.
3. Pressure cook the dal mixture with added water for 4 to 5 whistles.
4. Take a kadhai, add ghee to it, heat, add cumin seeds, and cook till they start to splutter.
5. Now, add curry leaves, green chilies, hing, and saute for a few seconds.
6. Add onions to the kadhai and saute till their color changes to a light golden brown.
7. Add tomatoes to the kadhai and cook them for a few minutes that they turn soft.
8. Now, add spices like red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and fry them all for 50 to 60 seconds.
9. Add mashed and well-cooked dal in the kadhai and stir.
10. Adjust the consistency of your panchmel dal by adding small amounts of water.
11. Boil it for 3 to 4 minutes, add cilantro, lemon juice, and salt to taste.
12. Your panchmel dal is ready to be served hot. You can serve it with chapati, quinoa, or boiled rice.

If you like the creamy thick texture of panchmel dal, you can also try dal makhni.

Punjabi Dal Tadka:

As its name suggests, Punjabi dal tadka finds its origin in Punjab. When people found it too tasty to be made in only one state, they took the dal recipe to other states. Now, Punjabi Dal Tadka is probably the most common dal found in Indian restaurants. Here is your step by step dal recipe:

1. Wash arahar dal and yellow moong dal, add them to a pressure cooked along with water and some salt.
2. Pressure cook the dal mixture till it gets well cooked.
3. Remove the cooker from heat and place it aside so that the pressure gets released.
4. Once the pressure gets released, mash dal mixture with a ladle.
5. Take a pan, add some ghee to it and once the ghee gets hot, add onions in it.
6. Saute till the color of the onions changes to a golden brown.
7. Add ginger-garlic paste to the ghee and fry for 50 to 60 seconds.
8. Now, add red chili powder, turmeric powder, and mashed dal.
9. You can adjust the texture of dal by adding water.
10. Add salt to taste and bring it to a boil.
11. Let the dal slowly cook on low heat, it should take about 4 to 5 minutes.
12. Pour tampering in dal along with lemon juice.
13. Garnish with cilantro and your Punjabi dal tadka is ready to be served hot.

If you want to experiment more with dal, you can try Dal Ke Kebab at home.

Moong Dal:

Probably the simplest dal recipe to make is moong dal. It is highly nutritious and can be made with very minimal effort. The whole trick in this dal is tampering. Change the spices to your taste and the dal will change its taste accordingly. Here is how you make it:

1. Take a pressure cooker, add dal, water, chopped tomato, turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, and stir to combine.
2. Cook this dal mixture for about 2-3 whistles and then set it aside so that the pressure can be released.
3. After the pressure is fully released, open the lid and give the dal a quick stir.
4. You can adjust the consistency of dal according to your taste by adding some water.
5. Add tampering of your choice along with lemon juice and cilantro.

If you like moong dal, you should also try moong dal khichdi and moong dal Cheela.

Chana Dal: 

Tightly packed with proteins, chana dal is often liked by children. You can enjoy it with rice, or chapatis. Just like moong dal, chana dal is also very easy to prepare. Here is your chana dal recipe:

1. Soak dal for at least 2 hours, wash it, and add to a pressure cooker along with water and salt to taste.
2. Heat dal on a medium flame, and simmer it after one whistle.
3. Take off the pressure cooker from flame after 5 to 6 whistles, by now your dal is well cooked.
4. Take a pan, add olive oil to it, heat and add onions and cumin seeds.
5. Add tampering to this dal with spices of your choice. If you do not want to experiment with spices, just add special chana masala while preparing the tampering.
6. Add some lemon juice to add a little citrus taste.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves and your freshly prepared chana dal is ready to be served hot.

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